This course follows the same curriculum as American Literature with additional reading, writing, and timed essay assignments. Prerequisite: Nomination by a member of the English Department based on exceptional performance in British Literature and a favorable review of an AP writing sample.

This accelerated course is for Seniors who have mastered basic language and literary skills and who seek the intellectual challenge and pleasure of exploring significant works of literature in considerable depth. This course involves intensive study of a variety of literary genres -- poetry, fiction, and drama -- and helps students prepare for the Advanced Placement Examination in English Literature. Senior Year. Prerequisite: Nomination by a member of the English Department based on exceptional performance in Junior English and favorable department review of an AP writing sample.

This discussion-oriented course is designed to help students understand American culture and development through literature. The chronological study permits students to see emerging American issues and values, shifts in ideology, changes in literay style, and thematic trends, while following the literary history of America. The couse syllabus includes essays, poetry, short fiction, novels and drama. Parallels in art and architecture are explored. An emphasis is placed on the development of expository writing skills, analytical reading and critical thinking. (Required for Juniors)

This course is a survey of British literature from the early beginnings to the modern era. The students read selected works in poetry, drama, short fiction, and the novel representing the major periods in the British literary tradition. The students learn about the lives of key British authors and study the historical contexts for these works. Literature study at this level is complemented by weekly vocabulary work and a regular study of the basic elements of English grammar. Students also practice writing on a daily basis, including the composition of paragraph responses to literature discussion questions, the ongoing revision of expository essays, and the daily maintenance of a free response journal. (Required for Sophomores.)

What will be the masterpieces of tomorrow? What constitutes "classic" literature? This class looks at the "great" fiction of today. Are there recurring themes in today's contemporary fiction? What does the world look like to today's writers? What connects us? Are there any generalizations we can make about our era in fiction? The second half of this elective is devoted to writing and preparing the Senior Thesis. (Senior Elective)

*Not offered in 2010-2011

In this course students will analyze a variety of genres to develop and enhance their understanding of the inextricable link between reading and writing. We will begin our journey with a study of language, determining how its various forms can be used deliberately as tools in our own writing. The course then moves on to the writing of short fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction. Students will develop a vocabulary to use when discussing the craft of writing, they will discover their own creative voices, and they will gain the confidence necessary to read their writing in front of others. We end the semester by examining the revision process and learning how to assemble a portfolio of finished work. The second half of this elective is deveoted to writing and preparing the Senior Thesis.

This course introduces the structure of the English language and the literary genres. The Expository Writing and Literature student learns techniques required in the writing of expository essays through her study of paragraph control and development, logical and cohesive organization of ideas, effective use of supporting information, and the expository format itself. In addition, the study of grammar and vocabulary provides students with the resources and sensibility to improve as writers. A more intensive study of expository writing occurs during the Fall Semester of Expository Writing and Literature, a period during which a genre study of poetry and shorter works of fiction allows more time to be spent on the teaching of the expository form. During the Spring Semester, the genre study continues through larger works of fiction, with instruction in expository writing designed to reinforce and develop skills acquired during the first term. Lessons are heavily dictated by demonstrated need as gauged by student performance on assigned writing. (Required for Freshmen)

This course will explore world literature inspired by war. The course will focus on themes of identity and coming-of-age, while exploring issues of internal conflict and morality. Patriotism versus individualism, the vision of glory versus the reality of battle, and personal sacrifice versus the instinct to survive will be highlighted in our discussions. Poetry, song lyrics, short stories, movies and at least two novels will be included in the course of study. (Senior Elective)

The Senior Thesis is an interdisciplinary, multimedia research project designed to be the culminating experience of four years of English instruction at Foxcroft. It is a full semester course required for seniors not enrolled in AP Literature or American Literature. The Senior Thesis engages all the skills and abilities students have developed in the areas of expository writing, literary analysis, inductive research and public speaking. The course begins with an extensive exposure to research, covering everything from in-house reference sources to a multitude of search engines, in order to stress the necessity of building a comprehensive bibliography. The various research exercises, focused on historical periods, critical analysis, visual art, and analyzing music, movies and architecture, entail short papers geared to the selected core work of the student. A short unit is given on the successful elements of delivering an oral defense. The final product, a paper of twenty pages r more, is submitted to the advisor in advance of the Oral Defense. The Oral Defense, a 30 minute presentation of the argument, is delivered to an audience which includes the thesis advisor, the student's class, and a selection of additional faculty members.

Students will study Shakespeare’s plays and focus specificially on how performance choices influence audience interpretation. Students will read a selection of comedies, tragedies, and histories and examine themes and questions that run through all of the plays; a sample text list may include Twelfth Night, As You Like It, Hamlet, Othello, and Henry V. Students will read literary criticism, complete close textual analysis, view and critique film and stage productions, and study specific scenes through performance. (Senior Elective.)

*Not offered in 2010-2011

Many of us call the South home, either by birth or by virtue of living in Virginia, and we recognize it as the land of sweet tea, humid summers and slow drawls. But in the works of many great writers, the South has also become known as place of secrets. In this class, we will read literature of the South that was written after the Civil War and that, due to its focus on the super natural and the unexpected, has come to be known as Southern Gothic. Literature of the Southern Gothic tradition explores issues of social decay, racism, violence and history while maintaining an interest at the same time in the South as a region rich in culture. We will read a variety of authors -- including Flannery O'Connor, William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams and Toni Morrison -- who are themselves Southern and thus bring a unique perspective to the complex issues that surround Southern heritage. Our studies will culminate with a study of the recent tragedy of Hurricane Katrina and its effects both literal and symbolic on our image of the South and its past, present and future.

The Senior Thesis is an interdisciplinary, multimedia research project designed to be the culminating experience of four years of English instruction at Foxcroft. As such, the Senior Thesis tests all the skills and abilities students have developed in the areas of expository writing, literary analysis, inductive research, and public speaking. In addition, the Senior Thesis helps students discover and explore some of the intellectual connections among a variety of disciplines, and learn to present to their teacher and peers, orally and in writing, the results of an extensive investigation of an area of interest to them. For the duration of the Thesis research (from mid-February until the end of the year, a period of about nine weeks), an independent study schedule is negotiated between the student and the English teacher and takes the place of regularly scheduled English classes. The final draft and oral defense of the Senior Thesis accounts for 50 percent of the second-semester grade.

This is an eight-week course during which students learn the art of reading and writing short stories. Students in this course read selected short stories representing the major themes and conflicts of the literary tradition. After the careful analysis of the short story, students will be guided in how to write stories of their own. Literature study at this level is complemented by weekly vocabulary work and an occasional study of advanced elements of English grammar. The second half of this elective is deevoted to writing and preparing the Senior Thesis.

*Not offered in 2010-2011

The Writing Lab is available for students requiring assistance with writing assigned in any Foxcroft class. Resources, including materials useful in the revision process, style manuals, research guides, and computer equipment, provide students with the tools they need to deliver their highest quality writing.

In this elective, students read and discuss poetry representing a variety of cultures. Using these works and models as starting points, students write at least two poems a week, share their creations with classmates in full-class and small-group settings, and critique their own poetry and the poetry of others. In addition to writing poems, students keep journals, write several short explications as well as a longer paper on a modern poet, deliver a multi-media poetry presentation, compile a poetry portfolio, submit at least one poem to a literary publication, and participate in a public reading of the poetry produced by the class. (Senior Elective)

*Not offered in 2010-2011